replaying this is after playing ~45 hours of it in 2015, never getting very far in the shameful main story, but... this is one of the greatest failures of storytelling bethesda have ever mustered. it requires nothing short of the total suspension of disbelief every second of playing it to give a shit about anything you're doing. to its... uh, credit? i enjoy a big open world game i can explore, and this one feels pretty good to move around in, but every single line of dialogue fills me with a mirthful disgust. nothing else presumed to be a "role playing" game makes me want to be an asshole like this one does. i cackle with delight when some npc spouts bullshit and an experience gain is triggered, activating my "idiot savant" perk and a dumb giggle from my character. i don't care about this world. i don't care about the must-find-babby plot. i almost want to see it through to its end just to hate it and shit on it in every way i can. my rating doesn't really reflect as much because i have my own fun with the game—i like to wander a big place and creep around in the smaller parts of it—but i think fallout 4 is an embarrassment and that bethesda should be shamed into making a better game next time around. i can only hope that's why they're taking so long...